News & Updates

Clopidogrel outshines aspirin for secondary prevention in high-risk PCI patients

In the long-term maintenance period after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), monotherapy with clopidogrel appears to work better than aspirin at preventing major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in Asian patients at high risk of recurrent ischaemic events, as shown in the open-label SMART-CHOICE 3 trial conducted in South Korea.

Hepatitis A vaccine may be safely administered to children on biologic therapy

Paediatric patients with autoinflammatory diseases undergoing treatment with canakinumab and tocilizumab can be safely vaccinated against hepatitis A, according to a prospective interventional study.

BPaL regimen tied to liver injury

The overall risk of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) with the pretomanid, bedaquiline and linezolid (BPaL) regimen is lower compared with the isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol (HRZE) regimen, a study has shown. However, the association between BPal and DILI remains significant, suggesting the need for careful monitoring during treatment.

Dapagliflozin after TAVI improves outcomes in elderly patients with aortic stenosis

Elderly patients with aortic stenosis who received dapagliflozin after transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) had better outcomes than those who did not receive the drug, according to the DapaTAVI* trial presented at ACC.25.

Original New Drug Application Approvals by US FDA (16-31 March 2025)

New drug applications approved by US FDA as of 16-31 March 2025 which includes New Molecular Entities (NMEs) and new biologics. It does not include Tentative Approvals. Supplemental approvals may have occurred since the original approval date.

Women more likely than men to receive high-intensity statins for secondary prevention post-CABG

Women are more likely than men to fill prescriptions for statin, particularly high-intensity dosages, after undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), with statin therapy equally effective at reducing mortality for both sexes, according to a study.

Vaccination crucial to integrated dengue prevention and control in SEA

Southeast Asia (SEA) is one of the hotspots for dengue infections, with Indonesia and Thailand among the highly endemic countries. At a Takeda-sponsored symposium held during the 2nd APIC-ADVA Asia Pacific Summit on Infectious Diseases and Immunization in Singapore, experts focused on vaccination as an integral component of a holistic dengue prevention and control strategy in SEA.

*The editorial below is supported by Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG Singapore Branch and is intended solely for informational purposes. Takeda has not influenced or contributed to the editorial content. While Takeda has provided financial support for the editorial, Takeda shall not be held responsible or liable for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in such information.

Amlodipine makes up half of CCB overdoses; verapamil, diltiazem remain most toxic

Among the cases of calcium channel blocker (CCB) overdose, dihydropyridines are the most common, with amlodipine accounting for nearly half. On the other hand, more severe toxicities occur with the use of verapamil and diltiazem.